Every Picture Tells A Story
by Boomstick95
Summary: Aisha finds some photos and reminisces about her past


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Outlaw Star. Outlaw Star is copyright of Morning Star, Sunrise/Sueisha, Sotsu Agency (c) 1998. The English version is copyright (c)2000 by Bandai Entertainment.

**Every Picture Tells A Story:**

Aisha Clan-Clan had walked from one side of the ship to the other thinking to herself for the last half-hour. She was just so bored. There was nothing to do! Jim and Gene where off on a bounty, the Ex-assassin Suzuka was off to herself only god knew where, and the Android girl Melfina, well, what fun could a live wire like Aisha do with her? So instead Aisha resorted to mumbling things barely audible to the human ear like; 'How-Could-They-Just-Leave-Me-Here…' or 'This-place-is-so-boring!'.

After tiring herself out from walking aimlessly Aisha dropped onto her bed sighing. She turned on her side frowning and thinking about home. It would never be like this back at the Empire. She mumbled and sunk her face into her pillow reminiscing the good old days when she had complete command of the Orta Hone-Hone and a ship full of crew ready to die for her. Back home she would get all the excitement and guys. Back home she would be Ambassador Plenipotentiary and there would never be a dull moment. But she was here…

The Ctarl-Ctarl woman pulled her face out of her pillow suddenly and stared out into thought before jumping off her bed and kneeling to look under. She emerged pulling out a big, brown, cardboard box with the initials 'A C' written on the top. She smiled at them before removing the lid to reveal the contents. Inside were many sentimental things Aisha had kept over the years including a smaller version of the bell collar she always wore, a first place certificate in fighting style and numerous different photographs.

She selected one and pulled it out sitting against her bed. A lone girl sat in the photograph with a proud look on her face as she pointed towards the sky, the sun shinning down on her. The girl was Aisha when she was six according to the barely readable hand writing written by the young Ctarl herself on the back of the photograph. Aisha smiled back at herself in the photograph and reflected the pride. She had done well for herself, she thought, coming second didn't turn out so bad. Aisha's face suddenly dropped along with her ears as the embarrassment and shame of that fate-turning day flooded back to her. She turned her head slowly towards the box and rummaged for a certain picture. Finally she found the picture she was looking for and stared blankly at it first before she began to go red and glare at it. In the photograph Aisha was with another Ctarl-Ctarl, who were both dressed in black academy robes holding their graduating diplomas. The other noble and proud, Aisha not so much. Her face was twisted with envy and shock as the first place graduator was raising his important diploma in the air. Scribbles and silly doodles had been draw over his face in black ink by a distraught Aisha years ago, but she still felt the pain of coming second to this day.

Aisha's face grew redder as she crunched the photo with her hands before throwing it into the box of shattered dreams. Just after she did her eye catched another photo in the box. The red on her face slowly disappeared as she watched the still figures in the photograph she had identified as her family. She picked the picture up delicately and stared down at each one of her family members. Aisha herself was about ten in the photo and was standing strait and noble with her hand to her forehead saluting. She was standing in-between her mother and father, who were looking proud and strong. To the left side of the photograph were her grandfather and grandmother, who were looking equally as proud and strong but maybe a little more relaxed. To the right side of the photo there was her older brother and sister, who had teased Aisha when she was young because instead of playing and running in the sun, they had started training for the Space Academy and enjoyed being higher and more respectful than her.

Aisha smiled sadly at her family and wondered what they were doing now. Even though she kept in touch with her family everywhere she went she hadn't seen them in person for a long time. She missed them greatly and as she thought about them a tear drop landed over the picture of the ten year old Aisha. She forced a smile and wiped the tears from the photograph and her eyes as she carefully placed it back in the box, not of shattered dreams, but of hope and inspiration for it was her family's support and facilitate that she had made it to the high rank of Ambassador Plenipotentiary. And it was Gene Starwind who took it away from her and got her demoted to the role of Resident Officer on Blue Heaven.

Aisha shifted where she was sitting a bit as thoughts of the day she had accidentally let 'Hot Ice' Hilda fly past and the shame and embarrassment she felt when the Empire leader expressed his utter disgrace and disappointment in her to the whole crew of the Orta Hone-Hone on a com cube. She remembered tracking down Gene and his friends only to find out that Hilda was dead along with her ship Horis, lost at Farfolis. And then she joined their crew, and now she was here.

As much as she did miss her family and the Empire they had turned their back on her, and Gene, Jim, Mel, and Suzu had taken her in and (although they might have a hard time showing it) enjoyed her company and help from time to time. 'Well someone has to keep some kind of order around here.' Aisha thought to herself grinning and staring into the box labelled 'A C' at another picture, this time more recent.

The picture was very recent in fact and Aisha remembered the day with ease and began to smell the fresh summer air she had experienced as she had hugged Jim and ruffled his hair (much to his annoyance) while Gene and Melfina relaxed under a tree smiling at her play with Jim while Suzuka kept her ordinary relaxed stone expression sipping some tea. Even the pink Gilliam helper bot had come with them, half inside Jims shoulder bag.

They were her family now, even if they were weak human beings, prone to stupid acts of recklessness, she still cared for them and had grown soft and sympathetic since she had known them. In fact she felt much happier with them than she had been back home. Back home she never had anytime for anything and people like her family were always expecting greater things from her, nothing was enough. If she did one small thing wrong she would be dubbed incapable and be mocked by her fellows. Nobody was her **real **friend back home. She was just 'Lady Aisha'. But since she had become an Outlaw she had more adventures and had made close friends. Here with her friends she was Aisha… Or 'that crazy cat girl'. She hadn't need of an excuse to make a slob of herself in front of everybody or sleep in the middle of the room purring loudly annoying everyone else in the vicinity. She could be herself and not have to worry about losing respect and her reputation.

Suddenly, so suddenly Aisha jumped, a knock came at the door.

"Aisha? Me, Mel and Gene where wondering if you would like to come with us to the new night club downtown?", It was Jims voice, which had still not quite broken.

Aisha turned to look at the door and paused for a moment biting her lip. "I'll be a sec, wait Jim."

Aisha turned her attention back to the box and smiled back down at the two 'family' photos before taking one last look at her ten year old self replicating her salute.

"You've come a long way, kid."

Slowly she put the lid back on top of the box and carefully pushed it back under her bed again, until next time. She got up, her ears twitching, and stretched her arms before leaving her room closing the door no longer bored.


End file.
